In response to criticism regarding CCHD's funding of organizations that go against Church teachings, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development will adopt new policies to 'reaffirm its Catholic foundations'. The new polices appear to contain much good. However, Catholics cognizant that it is their hard-earned money which will be used to fund CCHD programs may be interested in certain items appearing in the CCHD's new 'Review and Renewal' document, such as... (emphasis added)
" "CCHD will refine its understanding of poverty to include: 'persons directly experiencing economic or social injustice, i.e. racial or ethnic discrimination, handicapping or disabling conditions, long-term joblessness, policies which break up poor families [deportation?] and particularly hurt low-income children, economic dislocation and disinvestment that undermine the ability to meet basic needs for them and their families.'"
* CCHD will give applications "higher consideration" if they "clearly embody one or more of the USCCB priorities (human life and dignity, strengthening marriage and the family, cultural diversity, etc.)"
The document also - twice - implies that that use of the death penalty and use of "punitive measures toward immigrants" are acts "in opposition to fundamental Catholic social and moral teaching". However, the death penalty cannot be rejected outright as opposed to Catholic teaching (as Cardinal Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI, indicated, "There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia"). Furthermore, "punitive measures toward immigrants" presumably refers to "punitive measures toward ILLEGAL immigrants" since no one seems to be advocating punitive measures against innocent legal immigrants. Again, appropriate punitive measures against illegal immigrants - persons who have violated our laws - cannot be considered opposed to Church teaching. Yet the document states that... (emphasis added)
"CCHD will be more clear and specific in all materials about the positions, activities and relationships not permitted by CCHD, because they conflict with fundamental Catholic teaching, (e.g. advocacy of abortion, [homosexual 'marriage'], euthanasia, racism, as well as use of the death penalty, punitive measures toward immigrants)"
And...
"No group that advocates or acts in opposition to fundamental Catholic social and moral teaching is eligible for or will receive CCHD funding. Any CCHD funded group that subsequently and knowingly takes positions that contradict Catholic teaching in these areas (advocacy of abortion, [homosexual 'marriage'], euthanasia, racism as well as use of the death penalty, punitive measures toward immigrants) will be cut off from any CCHD funding as soon as this violation of CCHD requirements is documented."
Furthermore, the document seems to downplay the scandal concerning its past funding of organizations which subvert Catholic teachings. For example, the document says that "CCHD deeply regrets that in this past year five groups (out of 270) violated CCHD requirements and lost all CCHD funding because they acted in conflict with Catholic teaching", whereas a 2/5/10 LifeSiteNews article indicates that "RCN has offered evidence that 31 CCHD grantees are partnered with a pro-abortion and homosexualist group" and notes that some USCCB officials have served on the board of a pro-abortion and homosexualist group.
The CCHD has come under fire in the past for giving millions of dollars of laity's donations to the controversial ACORN organization and as also for funding organizations which promote abortion & c*ntraception. Some bishops have refused to take up the CCHD collection.
It remains to be seen whether these new policies will help solve CCHD's problems. But, as a previous news brief indicates...
"The CCHD claims they have now taken corrective action. However, skepticism is hard to contain since in the wake of the ACORN scandal, Catholics were assured that (1) 'CCHD's current criteria and guidelines prohibit partisan activity and funding of any group that engages in activities contrary to Catholic moral teaching, whether or not those activities are funded by CCHD' and that (2) 'These criteria are actively enforced'."
Dare we hope things really will be different this time?
[10/26]
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